Game Thread: Wiz at NJ: Nene's Debut - Wed 3/21

[JonathanJoseph]

I refuse to believe Andray Blatche has two fans on RealGM. Sorry, I'm gonna have to see some proof of that.

JJ and dlts20. they are the last holdouts.

Yes, that would be crazy, but that's also not accurate.

I would assume that's the same kind of poetic license that was employed when I said that Blatche was playing good pick-n-roll defense for a 5 minute stretch and someone then likened that to me saying he was an all-star.

[JonathanJoseph]

Ridiculous to have mods calling people trolls for being critical of Wall. There was nothing out of bounds in his commentary.

Nor did Nate respond in a mod voice, claim his mod authority, or otherwise bully ST21. He responded as Nate the Wiz fan, who, last I checked, can still post here.

Calling someone a troll is pretty specific in intent, and I'm merely noting from experience (cough, cough), that those critical of Wall end up unfairly being labeled trolls.

The OP said nothing that could be construed as trolling.

[fishercob]

Very enjoyable game to watch. It was nice to see Nene start well. His versatility means we'll get to see see each of Booker, Seraphin and Vesely next to one another.That give and go that John and Nene ran was great, even though we didn't score on it. Nene is very effective in the high post, which actually might make him a better pairing with Seraphin than Booker. We'll see.

I'm no Jordan Crawford fan, but that dunk on Gerald Wallace was awesome.

OK, not to piss on everyone's drunken optimism, but please realize that New Jersey is the single worst defensive team in the league -- last in Defg. So while it felt good, we didn't exactly light up the Bulls or Sixers. Not to mention the fact that their best player and coach both gave up and took themselves out of the game. So while I like the way we played, lets not go crazy and say we're "set" anywhere. Mmkay?

And while the front court looked good, their stiffest competition was Kris Humphries. When you're beating up on Petro, the Landlord and Jordan WIlliams, it's hardly something to crow about.

Nonetheless, a good performance is better than the alternative. A special thanks to nate for jinxing the nate in the OP.

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

Humphries' block on Wall was pretty impressive, fish. He snatched a rebound away from Serarphin and came over the top of other Wizards to get boards.

I agree, fish, the toughest competition on the Nets front court was Kris Humprhies. He has improved and is a good basketball player now. I wonder if the guy juices in the offseason. He looks pretty ripped and he plays with a serious chip.

[tontoz]

OK, not to piss on everyone's drunken optimism, but please realize that New Jersey is the single worst defensive team in the league -- last in Defg. So while it felt good, we didn't exactly light up the Bulls or Sixers. Not to mention the fact that their best player and coach both gave up and took themselves out of the game. So while I like the way we played, lets not go crazy and say we're "set" anywhere. Mmkay?

And while the front court looked good, their stiffest competition was Kris Humphries. When you're beating up on Petro, the Landlord and Jordan WIlliams, it's hardly something to crow about.

True the Nets suck which is why i am not reading too much into the 22/10 from Nene. What i was watching was just how he played, his attitide. I already know he can play.

There was a legit question about how motivated he would be coming here. This question hasn't been fully answered obviously but he certainly looked like he was playing with effort and the right attitude.

Seraphin's game was just a continuation of what he has been doing for awhile. He is shooting over 70% this month.

[queridiculo]

Everybody is talking about Crawford dunk on Wallace, but does anybody happen to have a link to that ridiculous layup he flipped over his shoulder?

[The Consiglieri]

Sorry to break it to you, Blatche fans (the 2 of you), but you've seen the last of Blatche in a Wizards uni. After tonight, I'm betting he's amnestied. They are not going to ruin a semi-decent bigman rotation, chemistry, and a hard-working environment by bringing PhatPhukk back.

Absolutely, it never made sense to amnesty Lewis, Blatche is a much better target for the amnesty because of the years. The Lewis contract is actually gonna be a decent commodity soon and the buy out is always an option too. Blatche will be amnestied after trade efforts fail in June (nobody wants him, hell, most teams would pay to not get a call about him from us at this point), and then we'll be rid of the three stooges in their entirety and not just Larry and Curly.

[montestewart]

So while I like the way we played, lets not go crazy and say we're "set" anywhere. Mmkay?

No, no my brother. We are set for life. Steaks and caviar every night.

Here's what I see:

Wall/Mack(?)
Somebody/Crawford(?)
Somebody/Singleton(?)
Somebody/Booker/Vesely(?)
Nene/Seraphin

We are a mere three players away from serious contender status.

Made it, ma! Top of the world!

[montestewart]

Everybody is talking about Crawford dunk on Wallace, but does anybody happen to have a link to that ridiculous layup he flipped over his shoulder?

If it's the one in the second half (I don't think I saw any of the first half) it was pretty phenomenal, but it also looked incredibly reckless, like many Crawford plays, and to me it's more notable because it went in than because it was a good play.

[The Consiglieri]

I refuse to believe Andray Blatche has two fans on RealGM. Sorry, I'm gonna have to see some proof of that.

Good point, he doesnt have a few fans, just a few victims who like me, until spring 2011, believed he'd finally get it, if we could just be a little more patient. I think we're down to 2 or 3 members of that contingent now, and that is in the known universe, and not simply on this message board.

[The Consiglieri]

From a pure tanking game, this would have been a key game to lose. Being 6 games behind NJ would have just about sealed it - that's too much ground to make up in 21 games. As it is, I wouldn't be shocked to see us catch the Nets, especially if the locker room goes sour (which is actually fairly likely). And the Raptors are pretty bad, too. I could see us getting to 17 or 18 wins, and that might be enough to catch NJ and/or Tor.

But - WHO CARES? WE ACTUALLY HAVE A PROFESSIONAL TEAM AGAIN!



Ahh, that felt good.

Way too many back to backers in my view. We'd have to play basically 5 games better than the Nets across 15 games. That's like a 10-5 finish. Not gonna happen. We're okay, we should still finish bottom 3, bottom 4 at worst. I think we're still a lock to finish picking top 6.

Sounds like the everybody's in top 6 would be:

1. Davis

2. MKG

3. Barnes

4. Robinson

5. Beal

6. Drummond

Bunch of guys going back top 6 probably:

1. Davis

2. Robinson

3. Barnes

4. Drummond

5. PJ3

6. Sully


The top 20 in an all in scenario is just amazingly deep.

[The Consiglieri]

Man...Nene and Serphain might just crush our tank chances. Serphain looked clueless 2 months ago...what an amazing turnaround

This board gets way way way too up for wins and way way way too low for losses. The team stinks, it just emptied out some knuckleheads and pounded another up and down garbage team. We have a billion back to backers coming, a huge chunk of them road games. We will lose plenty and hold onto a bottom 3 finish no problem.

3/22: Vs Ind B2B

3/24: Vs Atl
3/25: @ Bos
3/26: Vs Det B3B

3/29: @ Ind
3/30: Vs Philly B2B

4/1: @ Tor
4/2: Vs Mil B2B

4/4 Vs Ind
4/5 @ Det
4/6: @ NJ B3B

4/9: @ Char
4/10: Vs Orl B2B

4/13: @ NYK
4/14: Vs Cle B2B

4/16: @ Chi

4/18: Vs Mil

4/21: Vs Mia

4/23: Vs Cha

4/25: @ Cle
4/26: Vs Mia B2B

I think w/that schedule a 4-17 to 7-14 finish is the most likely scenario.

[N Ireland Nets]

Humphries' block on Wall was pretty impressive, fish. He snatched a rebound away from Serarphin and came over the top of other Wizards to get boards.

I agree, fish, the toughest competition on the Nets front court was Kris Humprhies. He has improved and is a good basketball player now. I wonder if the guy juices in the offseason. He looks pretty ripped and he plays with a serious chip.

About Hump, he actually does a lot of MMA off season. He started a few years ago which coincided with his sudden change of fortune and up turn in basketball play.

He's an absolute dog on the boards and has really improved his mid range jumper. He's a very good player but someone I dont want the Nets to lock into a long term contract for big money.

He's a perfect 1st big off the bench energy guy to be honest and like I said I'd be prepared to let him walk as a Nets fan in the summer because I believe he will get some very good offers.

Congrats on signing Nene, I love his game and is a real player to build around. I would love to see the Wizards get a legit centre to let Nene finally play his true position of PF and not C. He would destroy most PF's every night, it would be a joy to watch.

Good luck for the rest of the season!!

[dobrojim]

As good as Booker is, he should be with the second team.

I wouldn't jump to that conclusion just yet. Overall, I still think Booker is a better player than Seraphin, but the difference isn't huge. There will certainly be nights where matchups dictate that we're better off with Seraphin on the floor. Tonight looks like one of them.

Okay, I shouldn't say Kevin is better than Booker.

What I think I see is Seraphin at C with Nene at PF is something we haven't seen in DC. Two big dudes at PF and C with both agile, quick, and two-way players is a new wrinkle.

I would like Booker off the bench for either Nene or Kevin, and for Nene to play C with Booker or PF with Seraphin.

not since McFilthy and McNasty, the Beef Bros

[dobrojim]

Singleton quietly having a very good game imo

He didn't shoot well but I liked his game last night as well.
All this talk about how bad he sucks is premature. We're
at what normally would be halfway through his rookie
season. They pushed him off the pier into the deep water
by starting, and he hasn't drowned. He's going to be OK.

[dobrojim]

Nene is the best Wizards center since Jeff Ruland.

Moses, even past prime, was probably better (maybe not than Ruland prime).

but I'm nitpicking. Me likey Nene.

[dobrojim]

The hell are the Nets complaining about?

They got some ridiculous calls that first half. Whining gets you nowhere.

exactly, all of a sudden they weren't getting every touch foul
and they instantly started whining like there was no tomorrow.

[closg00]

Man...Nene and Serphain might just crush our tank chances. Serphain looked clueless 2 months ago...what an amazing turnaround

This board gets way way way too up for wins and way way way too low for losses. The team stinks, it just emptied out some knuckleheads and pounded another up and down garbage team. We have a billion back to backers coming, a huge chunk of them road games. We will lose plenty and hold onto a bottom 3 finish no problem.

3/22: Vs Ind B2B

3/24: Vs Atl
3/25: @ Bos
3/26: Vs Det B3B

3/29: @ Ind
3/30: Vs Philly B2B

4/1: @ Tor
4/2: Vs Mil B2B

4/4 Vs Ind
4/5 @ Det
4/6: @ NJ B3B

4/9: @ Char
4/10: Vs Orl B2B

4/13: @ NYK
4/14: Vs Cle B2B

4/16: @ Chi

4/18: Vs Mil

4/21: Vs Mia

4/23: Vs Cha

4/25: @ Cle
4/26: Vs Mia B2B

I think w/that schedule a 4-17 to 7-14 finish is the most likely scenario.

+1 The Nets are terrible and we didn't pull-away until the 3rd quarter. We also had one more rebound then the Nets. Let's see how we do against the Pacers front court and shooters.

[Nivek]

Man...Nene and Serphain might just crush our tank chances. Serphain looked clueless 2 months ago...what an amazing turnaround

This board gets way way way too up for wins and way way way too low for losses.

I've posted on this phenomenon previously, but here it is again. In a very real sense, the extreme highs and lows after wins and losses are a result of what fans are seeing. In wins this season, the Wizards have statistically resembled a 67-win team -- one of the 10 best teams in league history. In losses, the Wizards have statistically resembled a 10-win team -- one of the 10 worst teams in league history.

[nate33]

Nene is the best Wizards center since Jeff Ruland.

Moses, even past prime, was probably better (maybe not than Ruland prime).

but I'm nitpicking. Me likey Nene.

Got my chronology mixed up. I was thinking Ruland was after Moses. I agree that both Moses and Ruland were better than Nene.